It was exactly 4:55 P.M. EST on Friday; the teleconference was now being televised to thousands of satellite locations across America. The camera closed in on the LED sign and showed the results of yesterday's vote:
ARTICLE IX. RESOLUTION: ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A BALANCED FEDERAL BUDGET
TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES CAST: 900,082
NUMBER OF "YEA" VOTES: 819,074
NUMBER OF "NAY" VOTES: 81,008
This was the first time the number of voters exceeded 900,000. Over 91% of those 'registered' voters agreed that a balanced federal budget was imperative to the nation's prosperity, and evidently were willing to forgo personal comforts in an effort to establish such regulation. A gradual wave of change seemed to be flooding people's consciousness. Perhaps the hubris, avarice, materialism, and arrogance of the past fifty years' leadership had been misguided.
In 1992, a squeaky-voiced diminutive man named H. Ross Perot had captured 19% of the popular vote in the presidential election. While small in stature, Perot was 'big' on ideas and change. Single-handedly, he forced virtually every politican who was running for re-election to confess that he was not a "professional politician" (even though it was a bald-faced lie). The other issue that came to the forefront was the issue of term limits for all politicians - something most elected officials chose to avoid talking about. After all, how many of them wanted to return to a 'regular' job when their term was over? Giving up all those government perks, the lavish salaries and expense accounts, the luxurious lifestyles, and the lifelong benefits was not something most politicians favored. Once they managed to squelch Perot, everything went back to "business as usual", and the monsterous idea of term limits never raised its ugly head again. Members of Congress were set for life; none of them were about to get off that gargantuan gravy train!
A pipsqueak of a man stepped in front of the cameras. A man, in fact, that closely resembled H. Ross Perot as people might have remembered him sixteen years ago. His voice was gravelly, but more powerful than Perot's had been. He introduced himself as "just Jack" from Michigan. Dressed in black Levi's and a long-sleeved blue work shirt, Jack announced that he was about to introduce the next resolution. With pronounced confidence and determination, he read from a sheet of paper he held in his right hand (few people noticed it was an artificial limb).
ARTICLE X. RESOLUTION: TERM LIMITS FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS
"After FDR served almost four consecutive terms, Congress propitiously decided it was time to limit the number of terms a President could serve. Unfortunately, Congress didn't see the wisdom in limiting their own terms in office. So they allowed themselves the luxury of serving for life if the electorate so decided. And, of course, with the power and money of incumbency, many members of Congress did just that: they assumed lifetime positions that assured them the luxuries of living off the taxpayers' bounty. Most all members of Congress are now dead; this resolution serves to kill any ideas that any future members of Congress might have about sucking off the government's teat for a lifetime.
The very first proposal presented in this forum was entitled 'Take the 'Con' Out of Congress". This resolution furthers that concept by giving strength to a generous mix of representation. This resolution applies to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
It is respectfully proposed that members of Congress shall be allowed to serve for not more than six (6) consecutive years, after which they will be required to step down and allow a new candidate to represent their constituency. A member of Congress may be allowed to serve one additional six-year term after (s)he has been away from Congress for ten years or more. In other words, if a member of Congress were elected today, in 2008, (s)he would serve until 2014. (S)he could run for re-election in 2024. This allows for a variant in representation, and prevents the "coziness" that has become all too rampant within the hallowed halls of Congress. Our contemporary U.S. Congress is nothing more than a political version of that old game show, "Let's Make A Deal". This kind of hebetude must stop. It is not in the best interests of our political system, and certainly doesn't serve the best interets of most American citizens.
After their term ends in Congress, elected officials may NOT engage in any other service to the federal government, not as a consultant; lobbyist; director of a Political Action Committee (PAC); outside vendor or contractor; legal counsel; mentor or advisor; nor they may serve in capacity that allows them to profit from their public service in government. Should they be accused and convicted of such activity, they will face up to life imprisonment, and will be required by law to return all assets, money, and material goods with which they may have been compensated for such work. The U.S. Government will be authorized to repossess any homes, properties, real estate, vehicles, or other items of value in order to recover such ill-gained compensation.
Some politicians will argue that this does not allow for the value of "experience" within Congress. We disagree. We believe there are millions of U.S. citizens out there who would love to serve their country responsibly, professionally, and honorably. Many of these people can bring unique and varied management skills and business acument to Congress. Many have 'experience' that ill make them great statesmen and natural political leaders. Many of these people aren't involved in politics now because they can't stand the stench of corruption, greed, and torpidness. Lawyers, political panderers and common thieves have infected the halls of Congress. With all of them having perished, we are in a position to bring honest, reliable, hard-working people into public service, allow them to serve for a short period of time, and then refresh the 'tree of liberty' with new blood on a rotation basis. This keeps our public servants from becoming all-powerful, too entrenched in the system, and lazy.
As any organization, corporation, or government grows larger, the less manageable it becomes, and the fewer people benefit from it.
Our intention with this resolution is to deliberately prevent that kind of 'greatness' from happening. Government should remain lean and nimble at all times. Government has become, instead, obese and slovenly. We believe this to be one of the most important resolutions we have introduced. We respectfully encourage your support and plead for your participation in this most significant vote. Thank you."
With that, Jack's image disappeared from the screen. Today's session had been one of the shortest, yet was perceived by many O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members as being one of the most important to date. The screen went blank for another day....
ARTICLE IX. RESOLUTION: ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A BALANCED FEDERAL BUDGET
TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES CAST: 900,082
NUMBER OF "YEA" VOTES: 819,074
NUMBER OF "NAY" VOTES: 81,008
This was the first time the number of voters exceeded 900,000. Over 91% of those 'registered' voters agreed that a balanced federal budget was imperative to the nation's prosperity, and evidently were willing to forgo personal comforts in an effort to establish such regulation. A gradual wave of change seemed to be flooding people's consciousness. Perhaps the hubris, avarice, materialism, and arrogance of the past fifty years' leadership had been misguided.
In 1992, a squeaky-voiced diminutive man named H. Ross Perot had captured 19% of the popular vote in the presidential election. While small in stature, Perot was 'big' on ideas and change. Single-handedly, he forced virtually every politican who was running for re-election to confess that he was not a "professional politician" (even though it was a bald-faced lie). The other issue that came to the forefront was the issue of term limits for all politicians - something most elected officials chose to avoid talking about. After all, how many of them wanted to return to a 'regular' job when their term was over? Giving up all those government perks, the lavish salaries and expense accounts, the luxurious lifestyles, and the lifelong benefits was not something most politicians favored. Once they managed to squelch Perot, everything went back to "business as usual", and the monsterous idea of term limits never raised its ugly head again. Members of Congress were set for life; none of them were about to get off that gargantuan gravy train!
A pipsqueak of a man stepped in front of the cameras. A man, in fact, that closely resembled H. Ross Perot as people might have remembered him sixteen years ago. His voice was gravelly, but more powerful than Perot's had been. He introduced himself as "just Jack" from Michigan. Dressed in black Levi's and a long-sleeved blue work shirt, Jack announced that he was about to introduce the next resolution. With pronounced confidence and determination, he read from a sheet of paper he held in his right hand (few people noticed it was an artificial limb).
ARTICLE X. RESOLUTION: TERM LIMITS FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS
"After FDR served almost four consecutive terms, Congress propitiously decided it was time to limit the number of terms a President could serve. Unfortunately, Congress didn't see the wisdom in limiting their own terms in office. So they allowed themselves the luxury of serving for life if the electorate so decided. And, of course, with the power and money of incumbency, many members of Congress did just that: they assumed lifetime positions that assured them the luxuries of living off the taxpayers' bounty. Most all members of Congress are now dead; this resolution serves to kill any ideas that any future members of Congress might have about sucking off the government's teat for a lifetime.
The very first proposal presented in this forum was entitled 'Take the 'Con' Out of Congress". This resolution furthers that concept by giving strength to a generous mix of representation. This resolution applies to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
It is respectfully proposed that members of Congress shall be allowed to serve for not more than six (6) consecutive years, after which they will be required to step down and allow a new candidate to represent their constituency. A member of Congress may be allowed to serve one additional six-year term after (s)he has been away from Congress for ten years or more. In other words, if a member of Congress were elected today, in 2008, (s)he would serve until 2014. (S)he could run for re-election in 2024. This allows for a variant in representation, and prevents the "coziness" that has become all too rampant within the hallowed halls of Congress. Our contemporary U.S. Congress is nothing more than a political version of that old game show, "Let's Make A Deal". This kind of hebetude must stop. It is not in the best interests of our political system, and certainly doesn't serve the best interets of most American citizens.
After their term ends in Congress, elected officials may NOT engage in any other service to the federal government, not as a consultant; lobbyist; director of a Political Action Committee (PAC); outside vendor or contractor; legal counsel; mentor or advisor; nor they may serve in capacity that allows them to profit from their public service in government. Should they be accused and convicted of such activity, they will face up to life imprisonment, and will be required by law to return all assets, money, and material goods with which they may have been compensated for such work. The U.S. Government will be authorized to repossess any homes, properties, real estate, vehicles, or other items of value in order to recover such ill-gained compensation.
Some politicians will argue that this does not allow for the value of "experience" within Congress. We disagree. We believe there are millions of U.S. citizens out there who would love to serve their country responsibly, professionally, and honorably. Many of these people can bring unique and varied management skills and business acument to Congress. Many have 'experience' that ill make them great statesmen and natural political leaders. Many of these people aren't involved in politics now because they can't stand the stench of corruption, greed, and torpidness. Lawyers, political panderers and common thieves have infected the halls of Congress. With all of them having perished, we are in a position to bring honest, reliable, hard-working people into public service, allow them to serve for a short period of time, and then refresh the 'tree of liberty' with new blood on a rotation basis. This keeps our public servants from becoming all-powerful, too entrenched in the system, and lazy.
As any organization, corporation, or government grows larger, the less manageable it becomes, and the fewer people benefit from it.
Our intention with this resolution is to deliberately prevent that kind of 'greatness' from happening. Government should remain lean and nimble at all times. Government has become, instead, obese and slovenly. We believe this to be one of the most important resolutions we have introduced. We respectfully encourage your support and plead for your participation in this most significant vote. Thank you."
With that, Jack's image disappeared from the screen. Today's session had been one of the shortest, yet was perceived by many O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members as being one of the most important to date. The screen went blank for another day....
posted by Bushwacker! at 7:25 AM
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